FC UNITED had double cause for celebration as they started 2006 with yet another victory.

FC UNITED had double cause for celebration as they started 2006 with yet another victory.

The red rebels' 2-1 home win over second-placed Winsford stretches their lead in the Moore and Co Solicitors League Second Division to a massive 14 points and leaves them looking odds-on favourites for a debut season title.

And the bumper 4,328 Gigg Lane crowd set a new attendance record for the fledgling club.

But it took the shock of falling behind to a 52nd-minute Rob Hopley goal to bring Karl Marginson's side to life.

Hopley stunned the hosts by firing into an empty net after keeper Barrie George had been left stranded.

FC United's response was to subject the visitors to a sustained onslaught, which led to Simon Carden bundling in an equaliser 11 minutes later.

And Winsford's time-wasting tactics were punished 10 minutes from the end when Rory Patterson blasted in the winner after being released by Orr.